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A Conversation The following is a response originally intended only for the listserv. The writer's questions to the APAD group may at first appear sophomoric but they touch the foundation of the future of photojournalism and the attitudes we need to move to a new era. I was going to respond only to the list but decided to post it here. --- David Leeson Um...I'm neither student nor professional, as far as photography goes...am I allowed in here? If you are "in here" then you must belong here or you probably wouldn't be here. I live in SW Ontario (1 hr from Toronto) and wish (almost) more than anything to work professionally in documentary photography. If that means going to school, or making less money, or moving to another country, or selling my body, then so be it! That's why I asked my questions in an earlier post entitled "High Hopes" but haven't heard from anybody yet... Sorry you didn't receive any replies. Folks were probably just distracted or real busy that day. For the record ... I went to the Yahoo message list and found your post: What is the future of journalistic or documentary photography? It seems that more and more people are getting their information online and millions of people are seeing the same 10 photographs everyday, as collected from the world's news organizations instead of perusing the latest offerings from their local newspaper (I'm guilty of this). You answered the question yourself. The future for documentary photography is probably better than it has ever been. The Internet presents a publication medium unparalleled in the history of photojournalism. The future for newspapers - the print edition tossed on your doorstep or delivered to the news rack is not looking so good. Studies indicate that readers of newspapers are falling each year at an alarming rate. Some experts in the field have projected that if these trends continue unabated, publication could cease by 2010. Without readers a newspaper slowly dies. Newspapers were forced to deal with the advent of television news. The evening newscast eventually killed evening newspapers. Many of you do not remember ... but there was a time when many large metros produced two newspapers a day. New technology always brings a shift in older technology. It is neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. The advent of the automobile destroyed the carriage industry. The airplane took a wad out of the train industry. Folks at Kodak have been laid off in record numbers as a result of digital technology replacing consumer drive for film. How many typesetters lost their job in the last couple of decades? Obviously there are numerous examples of technological advances replacing or diminishing current technology. It isn't difficult to see that information dissemination via the web has had an enormous impact on newspapers. EBay alone hurt the business with a reduction in classifieds from folks who found a better and less expensive way to get rid of their stuff. The day will come when people will wonder what a classified advertisement is. Some in the business lament the decline. I have personally met some of them and find it amazing that many have never uploaded an image to a personal website. Others see potential and seize it as though it were a last chance. Who will succeed in this future market is obvious. True. But the premise is wrong. If a man's premise is wrong so will his findings be wrong. The premise is that everyone has access to "free" digital photography. The problem with that argument is that photography is not defined by the camera but rather by the one who holds it. Twenty years ago photographers said similar things with the advent of automatic program cameras like the Canon AE1. There was a time when I personally believed damn near every dentist in the nation had an AE1. Then photographers whined about the advent of auto-focus. Skill was removed they cried. Not really. The moment always survives. Content is king and the best will always be the best amidst an army of soccer moms and football dads. Believe me ... I get requests from these folks to come shoot the game for them. In fact, years ago, I made a business out of it. This profession seeks the best. The competition for the best positions is fierce. But it isn't impossible. If you have a sense of mission, passion and some decent skill there is almost no way to "stop" you. I have always believed that passion driven by mission is an implacable force. It is a rare individual who develops passion and defines it with a sense of mission who fails. They may fail at their mission. They may lack in passion. But few can stop those who combine them both in a single effort. It is "the force" of good photography. When you add ethics and honesty - it is a foundation for a powerful career in photojournalism and the chance to literally change lives. This isn't Las Vegas. The bet is on your side if you believe. Place it and win. I'm just trying to get a feel for how possible my dreams are without relying on my wife's platitudes for support! Perhaps your wife is trying to get you to believe in yourself. One of the great destroyers of a photojournalist's career is a lack of confidence, a failure to believe in your potential. I have met too many young photographers who never achieved their potential simply because they could never develop the daring of confidence. Believe even when there is no reason to believe. Have confidence when everything says you shouldn't. If not ... expect mediocrity. Expect to fail. um...that's it for now, I'd love to hear more from anybody on anything! Well ... as much as 50 or more emails a day tells me the group is talking about something. I'm sure others would join me in hope that whatever something we say means something to you and your potential career. All the best,
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